Sign up to receive free email alerts when patent applications with chosen keywords are publishedSIGN UP

Abstract:

An electronic timepiece includes a display unit, a communication unit, a
tilt detector, an acceleration detector, and a power-off unit. The
display unit displays information including information of time. The
communication unit performs near field communication with an external
device via an antenna. The tilt detector detects a tilting movement of a
main body of the electronic timepiece. The acceleration detector detects
an accelerated movement of the main body. The power-off unit turns off a
power of the communication unit when the tilt detector does not detect
the tilting movement and when the acceleration detector does not detect
the accelerated movement.

Claims:

1. An electronic timepiece comprising: a display unit that displays
information including information of time; a communication unit that
performs near field communication with an external device via an antenna;
a tilt detector to detect a tilting movement of a main body of the
electronic timepiece; an acceleration detector to detect an accelerated
movement of the main body; and a power-off unit that turns off a power of
the communication unit when the tilt detector does not detect the tilting
movement and when the acceleration detector does not detect the
accelerated movement.

2. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the
acceleration detector checks for the accelerated movement when the tilt
detector does not detect the tilting movement within a predetermined
period of time.

3. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the power-off
unit turns off a display on the display unit when the power-off unit
turns off the power of the communication unit.

4. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the power-off
unit turns off a display on the display unit when the tilt detector does
not detect the tilting movement within a predetermined period of time.

5. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1, further comprising an
acceleration-sensor power controller, wherein the acceleration detector
includes an acceleration sensor, and the acceleration-sensor power
controller turns off a power of the acceleration sensor when the
acceleration sensor is not to check for the accelerated movement.

6. The electronic timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the tilt
detector detects the tilting movement in a direction of a longitudinal
axis of a display panel of the electronic timepiece, and the acceleration
detector detects the accelerated movement in a direction of an axis
perpendicular to a surface of the display panel.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an electronic timepiece that
performs near field communication with an external device.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] With the development of low-power technique for the near field
communication using Bluetooth (registered trademark), for example, there
has been a technique in which an electronic timepiece and a cellular
phone, such as a smart phone, as an external device are connected and
communicate with each other almost constantly to perform various
communications with each other. For example, the smart phone can transmit
time data to the electronic timepiece. As another example, the smart
phone can send information of arrival of an e-mail or a call to the
electronic timepiece, and a ringer tone or message alert tone and/or
vibration of the smart phone can be stopped upon a user operation of the
electronic timepiece when the smart phone is ringing.

[0005] In the case of an electronic timepiece that is almost-constantly
connected with a cellular phone such as a smart phone using the near
field communication technology, it is desired that a built-in button
primary battery last for a few years as in the case of general
wristwatches. When the electronic timepiece is almost-constantly
connected with a smart phone with the Bluetooth, for example, the battery
life is profoundly affected by an operating current of a Bluetooth module
which performs transmission and reception. Accordingly, in order to keep
the almost-constant connection for a user while extending the battery
life, it is required that the power of the Bluetooth module be frequently
turned on and off to reduce accumulated power-on time of the Bluetooth
module as much as possible.

[0006] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-178303
discloses an electronic pedometer having an acceleration sensor and a
tilt sensor. In this electronic pedometer, when the tilt sensor
determines that the pedometer is inclining, the acceleration sensor
counts the number of steps.

[0007] A user who wears an electronic timepiece, however, makes various
movements other than walking and running. When the electronic timepiece
is almost at rest, e.g., when the user crosses his or her arms in a
meeting or on the train, or when the user is driving on an express
highway, for example, the movement of the electronic timepiece cannot be
fully detected. As a result, the power of the Bluetooth module is turned
off in such situations, which causes the following problems.

[0008] In the past, an electronic timepiece has been used mainly for a
clock function. The electronic timepiece, therefore, has been checked
only when a user needs to know the time. Accordingly, in the case of a
conventional timepiece, when the user needs to know the time, the user
has only to cancel the time-display-off mode by moving his or her arm,
for example, to display the time again. A constantly-connected timepiece,
however, cannot receive information of incoming phone calls or e-mails
from the smart phone when the power of the Bluetooth module is off. Even
if a user turns on the power by moving his or her arm later, the
information of incoming phone calls or e-mails during the power-off
period cannot be received. Therefore, in the case where the electronic
timepiece is almost-constantly connected with the smart phone with the
Bluetooth, a more precise movement-detection technology and a better
power-saving technology are required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides an electronic timepiece that
performs near field communication with an external device, and that turns
on or off the power of a communication unit at an appropriate timing to
achieve both reliable near field communication and power saving.

[0010] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided
an electronic timepiece including: a display unit that displays
information including information of time; a communication unit that
performs near field communication with an external device via an antenna;
a tilt detector to detect a tilting movement of a main body of the
electronic timepiece; an acceleration detector to detect an accelerated
movement of the main body; and a power-off unit that turns off a power of
the communication unit when the tilt detector does not detect the tilting
movement and when the acceleration detector does not detect the
accelerated movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description
given hereinbelow and the appended drawings which are given by way of
illustration only, and thus are not intended as a definition of the
limits of the present invention, and wherein:

[0012]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of
an electronic timepiece 40 according to an embodiment of the present
invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of
a smart phone 10 to be connected with the electronic timepiece 40
according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0014]FIG. 3 illustrates the electronic timepiece 40 according to the
embodiment of the present invention being connected with the smart phone
10 via wireless link;

[0016]FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a tilt sensor 60 and an
acceleration sensor 62 embedded in the electronic timepiece 40 on the
user's arm according to the embodiment;

[0017]FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for a power
saving process; and

[0018]FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for a
power-saving cancellation process to be performed when the electronic
timepiece 40 is in a power-saving mode.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] An embodiment of the present invention is described below with
reference to the attached drawings.

[0020]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of
an electronic timepiece 40 according to the embodiment of the present
invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal
configuration of a smart phone 10 to be connected, as an external device,
with the electronic timepiece 40 according to the embodiment of the
present invention.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic timepiece 40 includes a CPU
(central processing unit) 41, a ROM (read only memory) 42, a RAM (random
access memory) 43, a switch unit 44, a timing circuit 45, an LCD (liquid
crystal display) 46, and an LCD driver 47. The CPU 41 performs an overall
control of the electronic timepiece 40. The ROM 42 stores control
programs and control data to be executed by the CPU 41. The RAM 43
provides a work memory space for the CPU 41. The switch unit 44 includes
an externally-operable switch for switching a mode and a plurality of
externally-operable switches for making a setting for time. The timing
circuit 45 serves as a timing unit for keeping time. The LCD 46 serves as
a display unit that is provided at the center of the main body of the
electronic timepiece 40 and that provides a time display and a display
for various functions. The LCD driver 47 drives the LCD 46. The
electronic timepiece 40 also includes a Bluetooth module 48 (near field
communication module), a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver
Transmitter) 49, a vibration motor 50, a driver 51 for the vibration
motor 50, an LED (light-emitting diode) 52, a driver 53 for the LED 52, a
piezoelectric element 54, and a driver 55 for the piezoelectric element
54. The Bluetooth module 48 serves as a communication unit that performs
near field communication via an antenna AN 411. The UART 49 performs data
processing, such as a serial-parallel conversion, for the data
transmitted/received via the Bluetooth module 48. The vibration motor 50
gives notifications to a user through vibration alert. The LED 52 gives
notifications to a user by emitting or blinking light, or illuminates the
face of the electronic timepiece 40. The piezoelectric element 54 gives
notifications to a user by emitting a sound. The electronic timepiece 40
also includes a tilt sensor 60, a detection circuit 61 for the tilt
sensor 60, an acceleration sensor 62, a detection circuit 63 for the
acceleration sensor 62, a power source unit 64, and a bus 58. The tilt
sensor 60 detects a tilting movement of the electronic timepiece 40. The
acceleration sensor 62 detects an accelerated movement of the electronic
timepiece 40. The power source unit 64 contains a battery 64a therein and
supplies an operating voltage to each unit. The bus 58 is a section
through which the CPU 41 and each unit transmit/receive signals with each
other.

[0022] The Bluetooth module of the present embodiment is also called a
Bluetooth RF chip or a Bluetooth transmitting/receiving unit. In general,
when the term "module" is used, the module often includes an application
or an OS to perform control. On the other hand, when the term "chip" is
used, an application or an OS to control the chip is often provided
separately from the chip. In the present embodiment, the term "Bluetooth
module" indicates a section of the Bluetooth that has the function to
perform transmission/reception and that consumes a large amount of power.
In this sense, the Bluetooth RF chip, the Bluetooth
transmitting/receiving unit, and a radio receiving unit each have the
same meaning as the Bluetooth module.

[0023] The ROM 42 of the electronic timepiece 40 stores programs for a
basic timepiece mode process, an operation input process, a paring
process, and an associating process as the control programs. The basic
timepiece mode process is a process to display the time or to activate an
alarm at a set time according to the timing data of the timing circuit
45. The operation input process is a process to change an operation mode
or to make various settings in response to an input through the switch
unit 44. The paring process is a process to be performed in response to a
paring operation by user. The associating process is a process to
associate the electronic timepiece 40 and the smart phone 10 with each
other in various ways.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, the smart phone 10 includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12,
a RAM 13, an operation unit 14, an LCD (liquid crystal display) 15, an
LCD driver 16, a speaker 17, a microphone 18, a codec 19, an RF
transmitting/receiving circuit 20, and a communication circuit 21. The
CPU 11 performs an overall control of the smart phone 10. The ROM 12
stores control programs and control data to be executed by the CPU 11.
The RAM 13 provides a work memory space for the CPU 11. The operation
unit 14 includes a plurality of operation keys. The LCD 15 provides a
display for various functions. The LCD driver 16 drives the LCD 15. The
speaker 17 and the microphone 18 allow sound output and sound input,
respectively, when a user is talking on the phone. The codec 19 converts
inputted sound signals into digital data and converts digital data into
sound signals to be outputted. The RF transmitting/receiving circuit 20
transmits/receives wireless signals to/from a base station via an antenna
AN 111. The communication circuit 21 modulates and demodulates digital
data of sound inputted/outputted from/to the codec 19 and various
transmitted or received data. The smart phone 10 also includes a
Bluetooth module 22, a UART 23, a vibration motor 24, a driver 25 for the
vibration motor 24, a built-in timepiece 27, and a bus 28. The Bluetooth
module 22 performs near field communication via an antenna AN 112. The
UART 23 performs data processing, such as a serial-parallel conversion,
for the data transmitted/received via the Bluetooth module 22. The
vibration motor 24 notifies a user of incoming phone calls or e-mails
through vibration alert. The built-in timepiece 27 keeps time. The bus 28
is a section through which the CPU 11 and each unit transmit/receive
signals with each other.

[0025] Next, the operation of the electronic timepiece 40 is described
below.

[0026]FIG. 3 illustrates the electronic timepiece 40 according to the
embodiment of the present invention being connected with the smart phone
10 via wireless link. FIG. 4 illustrates the electronic timepiece 40 on a
user's arm. FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the tilt sensor 60 and the
acceleration sensor 62 embedded in the electronic timepiece 40 on the
user's arm according to the embodiment.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic timepiece 40 has a function to
perform near field communication through the Bluetooth, and can perform
data communication with the smart phone 10. The Bluetooth module 48 of
the electronic timepiece 40 is connected with the Bluetooth module 22 of
the smart phone 10 to perform data communication. The Bluetooth module 48
includes an analog circuit, such as an RF chip (RF circuit), for
transmitting/receiving wireless signals. Owing to the operating current
for this analog circuit, the Bluetooth module 48 consumes a relatively
large amount of power. The Bluetooth module 48 makes settings for
communication in advance, which is called pairing. Thereby, the device
information and data of an authentication key are exchanged between the
electronic timepiece 40 and the smart phone 10 via wireless signals. Once
the settings for communication are made, the setting process does not
need to be performed every time. Depending on the environment or a user
operation, the communication connection with the smart phone 10 is broken
or established automatically or semi-automatically. For example, when the
electronic timepiece 40 and the smart phone 10 are separated from each
other by such a long distance that wireless signals cannot reach, the
communication connection is broken; and when the electronic timepiece 40
and the smart phone 10 get so close to each other that the wireless
signals can reach each other, the communication connection is
automatically established or semi-automatically established in response
to a user operation. Thus, as long as the smart phone 10 exists near the
electronic timepiece 40, these two devices are constantly linked to each
other.

[0028] A user can turn on or off the Bluetooth function by operating a
switch of the electronic timepiece 40. When the Bluetooth function is
turned off by operating the switch, the power of the Bluetooth module is
not turned off and time display does not disappear, although the
connection is broken.

[0029] The electronic timepiece 40 has a power saving function. The power
saving function turns off the power of the Bluetooth module 48 of the
electronic timepiece 40 and turns off the time display when the
conditions described in detail later are fulfilled while the power saving
function is set to an on-state. Even when the time display is turned off,
the time-keeping function of the electronic timepiece 40 does not cease.
When the power of the Bluetooth module 48 is turned off, no current
except a slight leakage current is consumed. On the other hand, when the
power saving function is set to an off-state, the electronic timepiece 40
does not get into the power saving state, and therefore, the power of the
Bluetooth module 48 is in an on-state all day and night.

[0030] Next, operations of the tilt sensor 60 and the acceleration sensor
62 embedded in the electronic timepiece 40 are described. As shown in
FIG. 4, a user wears the electronic timepiece 40 around his or her arm 1.
It is assumed that the smart phone 10 (not illustrated) is in a bag of
the user, for example. The user wearing the electronic timepiece 40 makes
various movements including looking at the display of the electronic
timepiece 40 and operating the switch unit 44. In making such movements,
the user often rotates the arm 1 substantially around the axis of the arm
1, as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, the arm 1 rotates in the
directions of six o'clock and twelve o'clock of the electronic timepiece
40. Hereinafter, the directions of six o'clock and twelve o'clock are
referred to as a 6H direction. Further, the 6H direction is referred to
as a longitudinal axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis direction is referred to as a lateral axis direction.

[0031] In view of such circumstances, the tilt sensor 60 which detects the
tilting movement in the 6H direction is embedded in the main body of the
electronic timepiece 40, as shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment.
The tilt sensor 60 detects the tilting movement only uniaxially
(longitudinal axis direction), i.e., the 6H direction, for example.

[0032] The tilt sensor 60 alone, however, would not be able to detect the
movement of the electronic timepiece 40 which is almost at rest when the
user crosses his or her arms in a meeting or on the train, or when the
user is driving on an express highway, for example, resulting in
activation of the power saving function. Accordingly, the acceleration
sensor 62 is used in combination with the tilt sensor 60, as shown in
FIG. 5. The acceleration sensor 62 detects movements in the z-axis
direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the direction in which
the tilt sensor 60 detects the tilting movement. In other words, the
z-axis direction is a direction perpendicular to the glass surface
(display panel) of the electronic timepiece 40, as shown in FIG. 4 and
FIG. 5. The acceleration sensor 62 is a uniaxial detection type, for
example, because power consumption for the biaxial detection type is
about double the power consumption for the uniaxial detection type.

[0033] If the acceleration sensor 62 is at work for many hours, the
battery 64a consumes a large amount of power. Accordingly, the power from
the battery 64a is turned off except when the acceleration sensor 62
checks for accelerated movement.

[0034]FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for a power
saving process. The power saving process to be performed by the
electronic timepiece 40 is described below with reference to the
flowchart of FIG. 6.

[0035] When the power saving process starts, the CPU 41 sets the counter
variable i of the sleep counter to zero (Step S1). Then, the CPU 41
determines whether the current time is a ten-minute carry. In other
words, the CPU 41 determines whether the current time is zero minute, ten
minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes, forty minutes, or fifty minutes
past the hour (Step S2). If the current time is not ten-minute carry, the
process branches to "NO", and the process of Step S2 is repeated. If the
current time is ten-minute carry, the process branches to "YES" and goes
on to Step S3. In Step S3, the CPU 41 determines whether an output of the
tilt sensor 60 is ON. If the output of the tilt sensor 60 is not detected
in Step S3, the process branches to "NO", and the CPU 41 increments the
counter variable of the sleep counter by one (Step S4; i=1). Then, the
process goes on to Step S5. If the output of the tilt sensor 60 is ON in
Step S3, the process branches to "YES" and returns to Step S1, the
beginning of the power saving process.

[0036] The CPU 41 determines whether the counter variable i of the sleep
counter is six in Step S5. If the counter variable i is not six, the
process branches to "NO" and goes back to Step S2. If the counter
variable i of the sleep counter is six in Step S5, the process branches
to "YES" and goes on to Step S6. The state in which the counter variable
i is six means that the output of the tilt sensor 60 is not determined to
be ON six times in a row in the measurement performed every ten minutes.
The CPU 41, the tilt sensor 60, the detection circuit 61, and Steps S1 to
S5 constitute a tilt detector.

[0037] In Step S6, the CPU 41 turns on the power of the acceleration
sensor 62, and determines whether an accelerated movement is detected by
the acceleration sensor 62 (Step S7). If the accelerated movement is not
detected in Step S7, the process branches to "NO", and the power of the
acceleration sensor 62 is turned off (Step S9). Further, the power of the
Bluetooth module 48 is turned off, and the time display is turned off
(Step S10). Thus, the power saving process ends. On the other hand, if
the accelerated movement is detected in Step S7, the power of the
acceleration sensor 62 is turned off (Step S8), and the process returns
to Step S1, the beginning of the power saving process. The CPU 41, the
acceleration sensor 62, the detection circuit 63, and Step S7 constitute
an acceleration detector. The CPU 41 and Step S10 constitute a power-off
unit. The CPU 41 and Steps S6, S8, and S9 constitute an
acceleration-sensor power controller.

[0038] As described above, the CPU 41 checks for a tilting movement of the
timepiece main body using the tilt sensor 60 six times every ten minutes.
If the tilting movement is not detected six times in a row, the CPU 41
turns on the power of the acceleration sensor 62 to detect the
accelerated movement of the timepiece main body. If the accelerated
movement is not detected, the CPU 41 turns off the power of the Bluetooth
module 48 and turns off the time display. Thereby, the power can be saved
efficiently. Here, checking for the tilting movement of the timepiece
main body using the tilt sensor 60 six times every ten minutes is
referred to as "checking for the tilting movement of the timepiece main
body within a predetermined period of time". In the present embodiment,
the checking is performed six times every ten minutes. Alternatively, the
checking may be performed twelve times every ten minutes, or six times
every five minutes.

[0039] In the present embodiment, the power of the Bluetooth module 48 and
the time display are turned off at the same time in Step S10 of the power
saving process. However, the turning off of the Bluetooth module 48 power
and the time display does not necessarily need to be performed at the
same time. Alternatively, the time display may be turned off by the
power-off unit when it is determined that the tilt sensor 60 does not
detect the tilting movement a predetermined number of times (i.e., when
the process branches to "YES" in Step S5), and then, the power of the
Bluetooth module may be turned off by the power-off unit in Step S10 when
it is determined that the acceleration sensor 62 does not detect the
accelerated movement.

[0040]FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for a
power-saving cancellation process to be performed when the electronic
timepiece 40 is in the power-saving mode.

[0041] When the power-saving cancellation process starts, the CPU 41
checks that the power of the Bluetooth module 48 is off, and that the
time display is off (Step S21). Then, the CPU 41 determines whether a
tilting movement of the timepiece main body is detected by the tilt
sensor 60 or a key input operation (input operation through the switch
unit 44) is performed by a user (Step S22). If it is determined that
neither the tilting movement of the timepiece main body nor the key input
is detected in Step S22, the process branches to "NO" and goes back to
Step S21.

[0042] On the other hand, if it is determined that any one of the tilting
movement of the timepiece main body and the key input is detected in Step
S22, the process branches to "YES" in Step S22. Then, the CPU 41 turns on
the power of the Bluetooth module 48, and turns on the time display (Step
S23). Then, the CPU 41 sets the counter variable i of the sleep counter
to zero (Step S24). Thus, the power-saving cancellation process ends.

[0043] Thus, the power-saving cancellation process is triggered by the key
input by a user or a tilting movement of the timepiece main body detected
by the tilt sensor 60. For example, when a user puts on the electronic
timepiece 40 after leaving the electronic timepiece 40 lying for a
predetermined period of time, the tilt sensor 60 is activated and the
power-saving mode is canceled to turn on the power of the Bluetooth
module and to turn on the time display. Then, the electronic timepiece 40
can establish communication connection with the smart phone 10.

[0044] As described above, when the movement of the timepiece main body is
not detected by each of the tilt detector (the CPU 41, the tilt sensor
60, the detection circuit 61, and Steps S1 to S5) and the acceleration
detector (the CPU 41, the acceleration sensor 62, the detection circuit
63, and Step S7) while the power of the Bluetooth module 48 is in an
on-state, the electronic timepiece 40 according to the present embodiment
turns off the power of the Bluetooth module 48. Accordingly, the
electronic timepiece 40 can efficiently turn off the power of the
Bluetooth module 48, which consumes a large amount of current in
performing near field communication, using Bluetooth, with a cellular
phone such as the smart phone 10.

[0045] Further, the acceleration detector checks for the accelerated
movement of the timepiece main body when the tilt detector does not
detect the tilting movement of the timepiece main body within a
predetermined period of time. Accordingly, the checking by the
acceleration detector is performed less frequently, which results in
reducing power consumption in the entire timepiece 40.

[0046] Further, the power-off unit turns off the display on the display
unit at the same time as the turning off of the power of the Bluetooth
module, which results in further reducing power consumption in the entire
timepiece 40.

[0047] Further, the power-off unit turns off the display on the display
unit when the tilt detector does not detect the tilting movement of the
timepiece main body within a predetermined period of time, which results
in further reducing power consumption in the entire timepiece 40.

[0048] Further, the acceleration detector includes the acceleration sensor
62, and the electronic timepiece 40 includes an acceleration-sensor power
controller (the CPU 41 and Steps S6, S8, and S9) that turns off the power
of the acceleration sensor 62 when the acceleration sensor 62 is not to
check for the accelerated movement. This results in further reducing
power consumption in the entire timepiece 40.

[0049] Further, the tilt detector detects the tilting movement of the
timepiece main body in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the
display panel of the electronic timepiece 40, while the acceleration
detector detects the accelerated movement of the timepiece main body in
the direction of an axis perpendicular to the surface of the display
panel. This simplifies the structures of the tilt sensor 60 and the
acceleration sensor 62, resulting in cost reduction.

[0050] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned
embodiment, but may be modified in various ways. For example, the module
of the Bluetooth is taken as an example of the communication unit in the
embodiment. Alternatively, various types of power-saving near field
communication, such as Wibree and ZigBee (registered trademark); or
another near field communication of a unique standard may be employed.

[0051] The acceleration sensor 62 of the present embodiment checks for
accelerated movement once, if the tilt sensor 60 does not detect the
tilting movement of the timepiece main body within a predetermined period
of time. Alternatively, the accelerated movement may be checked multiple
times in a constant cycle (e.g., multiple times every one or two
minutes), and the power of the Bluetooth module may be turned off in the
case where the accelerated movement is not detected. Further, in the
present embodiment, the accelerated movement in the z-axis direction
shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is detected by the acceleration sensor 62,
which z-axis direction is perpendicular to the direction of the tilting
movement to be detected by the tilt sensor 60. Alternatively, the
accelerated movement in the y-axis direction, i.e., the three
o'clock-nine o'clock direction, may be detected by the acceleration
sensor 62. Further, in the present embodiment, the smart phone 10 is
taken as an example of the external device with which the timepiece 40
performs the near field communication. Alternatively, an electronic
device, such as a normal cellular phone or a personal data assistant
(PDA) may be employed instead of the smart phone 10.

[0052] The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No.
2011-194529 filed on Sep. 7, 2011 including description, claims,
drawings, and abstract are incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.

[0053] Although various exemplary embodiments have been shown and
described, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.
Therefore, the scope of the invention is intended to be limited solely by
the scope of the claims that follow.